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Sunday, November 4, 2018

The prophet asked me to write what I learned from the Facebook fast that he asked the women of the church to do at General conference “I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast”The first thing I learned was from my phone screen time recordPrior to the fast I was spending 3 and a half hours on my phone— WHAT??That was uncomfortable and I could think of hundreds of things “I don’t have time to do” that could be done in that 3 and a half hours. It gave me a desire to be much more intentional and limited in my mindless time on my phoneI also learned on the app that you can set downtime to shut off your phone when you should be sleeping 💤 That has been a great reminder for me at night. I can override it for 15 minutes at a time if I really want to but it makes me far more conscious of my usage after hours and gets me to bed on time more often Second I didn't know my phone had a filter?? Under settings, screen time, content and privacy, and then content restrictions I have since gone through and done these filters on the phones of some of my children as well. Hoping to protect us from the influences of Satan we inadvertently might run into. I challenge you to do this The other thing I learned was that I could limit my time on Facebook using the App limits featureI am now thinking about other areas we need to filter and be more intentional about timeThere are so many things I want to accomplish and using my time more purposefully will help me accomplish the best things

Sunday, October 28, 2018

From September 30, 2018 “This week dad almost fell on the stairs and it was a very painful realization that I am not big enough to do this alone. Went to the temple on Saturday and was reminded that the whole plan of happiness is based on the foreknowledge of God that I am not big enough. He always knew!! I have lived in a bubble where I was big enough to fake it most of the time but this accident has been a rude awakening that I never have been big enough the Lord has always been making up the difference

I don’t have to do it alone. And neither do you!”

One of the only things I could pray in my desperation was “Please help”. I was so beyond any mortal language my need was beyond anything I had ever experienced before and so great I couldn’t even berabalize it. Please help meant everything I had no ability to identify

From Prayer is the souls sincere desire Hymn 145
Verse 2
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near.

I loved this idea that prayer is so much more than words. We pray in all ways we ask for help. Our tears are a prayer. God hears so much more than just our words

At first I thought my prayer “please help” was some how inferior to the more eloquent and specific questions and verbal prayers. My sincerity and my need were so beyond any former prayers. My humility that God in his infinite wisdom and concern for me knew better than I what I truly need. As I thought about this new place of prayer I realized that maybe my “please help” is the best prayer I have ever offered

I loved this verse for I learned so much about prayer through these two words “please help”
Verse 8
O thou by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord, teach us how to pray.

I know that this scripture is true
Alma 33: 8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Our watchword should be “Never stop growing and serving.” Camilla KimballSo my mother in law has told me for many years that she is still a teenager in a old lady body. This has been a funny thing to me when I was a teenager assuming that her and I were so different. That the years are magic and make you into something totally different. She was wise and smart and knew all the right answers. She was solid and so sure of the choices she had made and was successful in all the ways I hoped to be.Well now I am older than the age of my sweet mother in law when she first introduced me to this idea. And I have to admit as always she was absolutely right. Age has done so much the opposite of the surety and solidness I thought would magically be gained. I spend many of my prayers just telling the Lord how much I don't know. How much I don't understand. The problems of the word have become more real in my age, I have enough experience to know that the ideals and perfect hopes of my younger days do not always (usually) happen in the way I thought they would and that my expectations often just lead to disappointment and lack of gratitude for what is.This new experience of having my children need me less and my hands and heart less full as my younger days has led to some soul searching and new purpose seeking. A dear friend sent me this amazing talk from Camilla Kimball with this perfect quote to describe my experience "When a mother’s children are reared, or if she is childless, the years after forty or fifty may begin to look bleak. Her real life’s work may seem done, when in reality it has only changed. The active woman cannot hold her hands, so she looks about for something to take up her leisure time. What should it be? Charity? General meddlesomeness? Shall she become a burden or shall she embark upon a new adventure? Happy the woman who has the foresight to see that through forty years of experience, she has matured the ability to commence a grand and useful second half of her life."This is Camilla's advice to me at this stage of my life "In addition, there are many opportunities for service to others. The world is full of lonely, troubled people who need a helping hand, who need a listening ear or a friendly visit or a comforting letter. Our watchword should be “Never stop growing and serving.”

My love for quilting started as a young woman. I had an amazing beehive leader who made it one of her goals to teach 12-13 year olds homemaking skills. She helped me make my first and several other quilts including one for Angie’s wedding in 1993, long after I was not her beehive anymore

My second experience was for my wedding. Grandma Rebecca made us several quilts. My favorite was a light blue that she had hand quilted. Something about cuddling up with her blanket as I was a newly married bride just learning to be a wife comforted and blessed me with strength and renewed dedication to be strong like Grandma Rebecca. It made me think of my blessings of having a husband and her valiant example of motherhood alone after the death of her husband. The gift of a quilt is so symbolic of warmth, comfort and wrapping your self in a quilt handmade by someone who loves you feels like a big hug just when you need itGrandma Rebecca’s quilts comforted and surrounded each of my babies. One in particular was given to Joseph for his baby blessing and lived to celebrate the name and blessing of all eight of my children. It lives today to bless Grandma Rebecca’s great grand babiesSo beyond the idea of comfort, protection, and warmth. I think having a homemade quilt has historically been a way for mothers to bless their children and families. Quilting has symbols and meaning behind the patterns as well as artistic and creative outlet for the women of the past.

Quilting bee's were our method of gathering and women's connection and advice seeking. Around the quilts of the past we discussed and learned from those older than us wisdom was passed from mother to daughter.Fathers are able to give Priesthood blessings to their children. But I feel like a quilt is the mother equivalent, nurturing, protection,and love are all bound together in the threads of the fabric and the creativity and hand work is a symbol of the love and never ending work that your mother puts into your whole life.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

"The term happiness in the gospel sense embodies a mix of spiritual attributes that defies precise description. Attempts to identify the elements of happiness commonly allude to such qualities of being as love, joy, peace, bliss, contentment, and enlightenment. For present purposes, suffice it to say that true happiness is that profound sense of spiritual well-being that is the product of living our lives in harmony with our core values, as informed and shaped by our devotion to and desire to please God." Bridling Mammon: Harnessing the Power of Money in the Service of Virtue STANLEY D. NEELEMANJune 11, 2002 • Devotional